Oct 20 Union workers no longer demonstrating at Skidmore College

At a meeting this week between the College's construction services management firm and the union leaders from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America-Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters, the union leaders revealed that there will be no further action at the college, said Mike West, vice president for finance and administration.

West said that the management firm provided carpenters with additional information regarding their contract with the College, and he hopes that this will help to resolve the differences between Local 291 union and Niatrust Drywall Inc., the private cooperation contracted for the construction projects in Northwoods and Scribner Village.

More information on the union's previous protests at the college can be found here.

Todd Banks, leader of the picketing effort for Local 291, confirmed that, for the time being, the union would cease demonstrations outside of the College. "For the time being, we're going to hold off there as part of a good faith effort," he said.

However, Banks said that the union still has issues with Niatrust, as well as other non-area standards contractors, such as Commercial Interiors and Landmark Flooring.

"Our agreement to not do action up there [at the college] has nothing to do with our disagreement with Niatrust," Banks said. He added that the union will continue to protest wherever Niatrust is employed, so long as it continues to pay substandard benefits.

"We're just moving forward and doing what we have to do when companies like Niatrust come around," Banks said.

Banks said that if the College contracted a non-area standards company for future work, whether Niatrust or another company, the union would demonstrate again.

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